Waka Ama: Champs a spectacular success

Paddlers round Guano Island off Whangarei Heads as part of the National Long Distance Waka Ama Championships. Photo / Garrick Cameron Studio5

Fabulous weather and a stunning Northland coastline made for a superb weekend of racing at the 2015 ActivePost National Long Distance Waka Ama Championships.

More than 600 paddlers from 35 clubs throughout New Zealand competed in front of hundreds of passionate spectators, who watched the crews leave Marsden Cove and paddle across the harbour and follow the coast along Whangarei Heads before rounding Guano Island on the return.

Northland crews and paddlers were well represented at the medal ceremonies.

Taipa's Tupuria King achieved a first for waka ama racing, winning the Open men's ruddered and rudderless W1 divisions. Racing the two 18km events almost back to back, King claimed line honours and national titles in both.

This was no easy feat, especially after racing 32km with his team - Herberts on Tour - the day before to a second place in the Open men's W6 event.

King's sister, Rose, claimed the Open Women's W1 rudderless title and their mother, Nyree King, won the Senior Master Women's rudderless championship.

Event co-ordinator Matt Kensington said it was the biggest long-distance nationals staged so far and the venue at Marsden Cove was excellent thanks to support from the Hopper family.

"It was an unbelievably great venue with the boat ramp and the on-site marque. Most paddlers are used to launching into muddy rivers so this was fantastic."

Kensington said boaties and fishers in the area had been co-operative when it came to sharing the marina boat ramp.

The Tai Tokerau region had taken on the nationals last September and had been planning in earnest since January.

"As a region, we can hold our heads high. We have held a spectacular event in a spectacular part of the country.

"The feedback we've had from paddlers who travelled long distances to get here was it was like paddling in paradise."

Live streaming of the races by Northland's Te Hiku Media meant spectators around the world had seen the action over the weekend.

Kensington said: "The coverage was seen throughout New Zealand and by people around the world, raising the awareness of waka ama around the globe."

Lara Collins, chief executive of Waka Ama New Zealand, said this year's championships raised the bar with incredible grit and endurance on display.

"We're really stoked with how the championship went. We've made a big push to grow waka ama throughout New Zealand and it's great to see crowds and clubs turn up in such big numbers. Over the past few years, clubs have been popping up all over the place and they've progressed hugely in such a short amount of time."

For the championships, clubs competed for national honours in one, two or six paddler teams over distances of 12km, 18km, and 30km.